routine of riding and training. When this
happens, I seem to notice my MS symptoms more.

MBA: How did you get involved with the
Giant/Liv ambassador program?

Grace: Several years ago at an IMBAmountain bike instructor certification clinicI met Jen Audia. At that time Jen was theLiv demo driver for the East Coast. Jen isnow the U.S. marketing manager. At thattime I had not heard of Liv. One of my bestfriends, Matthew Blevins, owns a shopin Huntsville, Alabama, Blevins BicycleCompany, and its main brand was Giant.Matthew filled me in on the Liv brand.Originally, the brand was known as Liv/Giant; now, it is simply known as Liv. I wasintrigued by the fact that this brand wasactually designed by women for womenand with the brand message of gettingmore women on bikes. It wasn’t until a yearlater that I heard about the Liv ambassadorprogram, but I had missed the applicationdeadline. This program was a great fit forCity Cycle Belles. Our mission is to encour-age women, whether they are diehardracers or just bought a bike to ride withtheir family. Through the Liv ambassadorprogram and the Rocket City Cycle Bellesin Huntsville, we are creating a commu-nity where women feel like they belongand can make lasting friendships and seethe potential they have to become bettercyclists doing things they never thoughtpossible. Those lessons can translate intoother areas of their lives. We know the bikeis more than parts; it can be a vehicle ofchange and absolutely life-giving! Duringthe past two years as a Liv ambassador,I have had the opportunity to meet otherwomen who share the same passion. Allof the ambassadors network to help eachother build a stronger cycling communityfor women.

MBA: What advice would you offer to
anyone who may be riding with a similar
condition?

Grace: Always focus on the “can,” not
the “can’t,” by finding a way to keep your
eye on the prize.

MBA: Have you altered your bike setup
to accommodate your riding with MS?

Grace: The only accommodation I make
to all of my bikes is an easier gearing ratio.

MBA: What’s next on your list of cycling
goals?

Grace: This year’s goals are pretty
stout, starting with the 24 Hours of Old
Pueblo four-man team in February in
Tucson, Arizona; then the High Cascade
100-mile race in Bend, Oregon; the
Leadville Stage Race in Leadville, Colorado;
and the NMSS (National Multiple Sclerosis
Society) Bike MS 650-mile ride across
Alabama.;❏

Breck Epic and Transylvania Epic. Last year
I was registered to do a bucket-list race
(La Ruta Conquistadores), but three weeks
before the event I crashed pretty badly and
spent a few days in the hospital with a concussion and a few other injuries. My 2015
goal was to be the first female living with
MS for as long as I have to complete three
stage races. I completed two of the three,
and the last would have been La Ruta. Oh
well, life got in the way, and I can honestly
say I did my very best up until the crash.

It just wasn’t meant to happen, and that
was okay. I was concerned all along about
racing in the Costa Rican heat.

MBA: How has having MS affected your
training?

Grace: Training with MS most definitely
has its challenges. Most athletes have
heard the old cliché “listen to your body.”
This is imperative for me. There is such a
fine line with fatigue. Since I have lived with
MS for most of my life, I know the difference between extreme, debilitating fatigue
and being tired from a hard workout. Part
of my training routine includes making sure
I get proper rest and nutrition and always
listen to my body. It can get very frustrating
when you suddenly are too fatigued to do a
workout and it is the perfect day outside for
a ride. I’ve paid the price several times for
ignoring my body telling me it was too tired
to ride. Being fatigued also messes with
my vision and balance. Most always I end
up on the ground if I don’t pay attention to
what the ol’ bod is telling me.

MBA: What benefits have you noticed
from riding since your diagnosis?

Grace: Training, racing and just riding
have helped keep me strong, confident
and focused on being healthy. I never dwell
on the fact that I live with a debilitating
disease; however, at times, life gets in the
way, which may force me to change my